Connector.



J. F. SMARL CONNECTOR. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 1. 1916.

1,239,531. Patentedsepn-1L1917.

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-lrosEPni I. siuART, or NRW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNoR To Lammens, rRanr a CLARK, F NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, a CORPORATION or CoNJNnCTICUT.

CONNECTOR.

Leanser.-

, @paca/non flied November 7,1916. seriiNo. 129,918.

To all 'whom t concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH F'. SMART, a-

I citizen of th United States, residing at New L the following is a full,4 clear, and exact de- -scri tion.

-y invention relates to improvements in connectors and h'as for its object to provide a flexible connector composed of a plurality of-'cables having contacts secured to their ends and incased in a suitable plug casing, and means for connecting the flexible conductor tothe plug casing in such a mannery that a pull upon the iexible conductor will not produce a strain upon the terminals. It further has for its object to provide such a structure with a spiraluprotecting device adjacent to the plug and so connected that a pull uponthe spiral protecting'device will be transmitted. to the plug casing without causing damage or injury tothe flexible l conductor.

Referring more particularly 'to the drawings,

Figure 1 isa side-elevation of a'portion of I. 'a'connector embodying my invention, showfing 4'a flexible conductor having on its end a terminal plug casing; v

Fig; 2 is a' similar view with one of the two separable halves of the plug casing removed; l

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionlon the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2; Figx is an enlarged perspective detail of 'one of the elements before it is clamped upon the 'cord;and

Fig. 6 is a. detail viewshowing parts of 'my deviceremoved from the plug casing, the

, la iiexible conductor composed of two cables 'suitably insulated from one another and heldl sprin portion being partly broken away.

Re erring more particularly to the drawings-, 1 2are the halves ofA a divided plug Y casing secured together by bolts 3 3". 4 is 1 together in the ordinary fashion. -5 is a 'metallic clamp having clamping fingers 6 bent laround the conductor 4'so as to secure the so as to .constitute a loop, through whichv Specification of ALetters Patent.

ratentedlsept. ii, rara.

.passes the upper bolt 3. jTliis" results in sethe bolt 3. The Jtwo cables of the cord are connected to terminals l() by binding screws ll in the ordinary nia-nner. Because the strain produced by a pull; upon the cord 4 is taken up by the clamp v5 engaging the bolt l3, it can produce no harnifuleffectupon the terminals l0 l 0 nor their binding posts 1l 11.

I2 isa spiral sprinmguard for protecting the iexible conductor and is similar to springQguards heretofore used except for its manner of connection with the plug casing. -In ordento connect my spring-guard with the plug casing, I utilize lthe lateral projections 7 7 of the clamp 5, causing them to project between twohelices of the spring, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. This results in producing a positive connection between vthe lower end of the spring and the plug casing, through clamp 5, tang 8 and bolt 3, so that a pull upon the spring is transmitted to the plug casing through the aforementioned parts. Inthis way the clamp 5 serves as a -means for connectingboththe flexible con- .As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits of various modiliicatioi'is without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. In a connector, a divided plug casing, terminals Vcarried thereby, a flexible conductor having a plurality bf cables-connected to said terminals, and a' clamp secured to said iexible conductor adjacent to the cable ends connected to said terminals, said -clamp having a loop in combination with a securing bolt passing through said loop and said casing. p

2. In a connector, a divided plug casing, terminals carried thereby, a flexible coneral projection above said loop, in combina, tion With a bolt passing through said loop.

and said casing, and a'protecting spring surrounding theend of said flexible conduct-or and between .helices of which said projection extends. o

3. In a connector, the combination of a divided plug easing, terminals carried theren by, a flexible conductor having a plurality of cables' connected to said terminals, anda cla-mp secured to said flexible conductor ad# jacent to'said terminals, said-clamp having a loop and two lateral projections above said loop, in combination with a bolt passing through' said loop and a protecting spring surrounding the end or" said Hexible conductor and between helices of which said projections extend.

4. In a connector, the combination of a dividedplug casing, terminals carried theren by, a flexible conductor having a plurality of cables" connected to said terminals, 'a clamp secured to saidexible conductor adjacent to said terminals, said clamp .having a loop and a lateral projection above-said loop,.said plug' in combination with a bolt passing-througlrsaid loop and av protecting spring surrounding thefend of said flexible conductor and between `helices of which said projection extends, the end of the last helix of said spring being` bent-about one of the cables'o'f said conductor.

JOSEPH n. samer. 

